Covering for bathtubs and the like



Aug. 21, 1928.

R. E. HENRY COVERING FOR BATHTUBS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheds- Sheet ;1

Filed Oct. 9, 1925 FIG.

mvsu'ron Aug. 21, 1928'.

R. E. HENRY COVERING FOR BATHTUBS AND THE LIKE Filed on. 9, 1925 2 Sheets-6119a 2 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES ROBERT E. HENRY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

COVERING FOR BATHTUBS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 9, 1925. Serial No. 61,456.

My invention relates to protective coverings for bath tubs, lavatories and similar porcelain and enameled plumbing goods.

Considerable difficulty has heretofore been experienced in suitably protecting plumbing fixtures, such as bath tubs, wash bowls and the like, during shipment and installation. The highly finished surfaces of these articles many times become scratched during handling and are also damaged during installation, by reason of plaster, mud and cement falling upon the articles and scratching the surface when being removed therefrom, through workmen dropping their tools into the tubs or standing in them, and from various other causes. Even slight injury reduces the tub to the rank of second quality, and in many cases causes rejection thereof by the purchaser, with the consequent expense of returning the same to the factory and the shipment of a replacement which may in turn also become dan'laged.

My invention has for its object the provision of a temporary protective covering for bath tubs and the like, of such form and material that the tub will be adequately protected during shipment and installation, and which will not readily become accidentally detached or torn from the tub.

I also avoid the necessity of applying adhesives to the polished surfaces of tubs, for holding a covering in place.

Some of the forum which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tub-covering embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary lon gitudinal vicwthereof; Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the covering before application to the tub and inverted to more clearly show the construction thereof; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing another form of covering; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view, in perspective and on an enlarged scale, showing more clearly the manner in which the covers of Figs. 4 and 5 lie against the interior surface of a tub, and Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view, in perspective, and on an enlarged scale, showing more clearly the manner in which the covers of Figs. 4 and 5 lie against the interior surface of a tub.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, I show a covering 8, preferably of water-proof, acidproof, crimped or crepe paper, applied to a bath tub 9. It will be understood that cov erings of this general form may he also employed for protecting wash-bowls, foottubs, and similar articles during shipment and installation.

The covering 8 may be of a single sheet of material and is composed of a bottom portion 10, that lies against the bottom of the tub, side portions 11 and end portions 12. The side and end portions or walls of the covering are continuations of the bottom portion 10. The covering is folded as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, and surplus material cut away as indicated at 13 and 141, whereupon the edges 13 and 11 are stitched as indicated and folded flat against the end wall 12 as indicated at 13.

The side walls 11 are provided with flap portions 15 that are adapted to fold down over the outer surface of the side walls of the tub, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The flaps 15 are extended longitudinally, somewhat as in dicated at 16 in order that the portions 16 will be overlapped by the end flaps as hereinafter explained.

The end walls 12 are provided with flap portions 1.7 that are adapted to fold down over the ends of the tub as indicated in 1 and The edges of the flaps 17 are folded in as indicated at- 18, so as to provide a double thickness of material that will he more snugly against the tub and which is not so likely to become torn in handling. lVhen the flaps 17 are folded down over the outer ends of the tub as shown in Fig. 1, the edges 16 of the flaps 1:) are thereby covered and protected from being torn.

lVhen the flaps 15 and 17 have been folded into place, adhesive strips 19 and 20 are applied to hold the lowermost edges tightly against the tub. lVhen the tub has reached its destination the plunmber may tear the strips 17 and remove the cover from the tub so as to inspect the tub. The covering may then again be placed over the tub so as to protect the same against injury during in stallation thereof.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown another manner in which the covering may be formed and installed in a tub. In this modification the covering is shown as consisting of a plurality of sheets of material instead of a single sheet. One of the advantages of this form of device resides in the fact that it may sometimes be difficult to secure sheets of such size as to cover large articles. The covering of Fig. 5 is provided with a separate bottom sheet 21 to which may be stitched side pieces 22 and 23 that have flap-like extensions corresponding to the flap portions and 16 of Fig. at. The pieces 22 and 23 are stitched as shown in the drawing. End pieces 24 are stitched to the bottom sheet 21 and to the strips The pieces 24 correspond to portions 17 of Fig. 4 and the complete covering of Fig. 5 is applied to the tub in the same manner as the covering 8 of Fig. 1, being held in place by strips of adhesive material As a further means of supporting the covers of Figs. 1 and 6, or other forms of covering tor a tub, I may provide one or more hooplilre memli' rs 2(3. of metal or wood, that may be inserted in the tub a l'ter the cover has been applied, for the purpose of holdingthe cover ing snugly against the interior walls of the tub and to assist in retaining the cover against falling out of the tub when the tub is inverted. The hoop 26 may be inserted ti ghtly enough to esert the required frictional engragement with the covering and the wall of the tub.

The covering is preferably made of crimpcd material, so that a better cushioi'iing ell'eet. is produced. and so that it may stretch or give slightly at the corners or bends within the tub. and thereby tit more snugly and will not be so likely to become torn or punctured.

The sewed in bottom may, of course, be employed for covers of various forms other than that of Fig. 5. For example, the side walls oi Fig. 5 may be made integral with on 1 another.

Another important feature of my invention resides in the fact that the cover is so formed as to avoid overlapping of the material. or in other words, two thicknesses of material at any point upon the rim of the tub where such rim may be brought into contact with the wall during the tilting in process. A sin e'le thickness of material will not hold the tub away from the wall a distance sulficient to be objectionable.

In order to etl'ect this object I cut out adjacent corner portions 28 and 29 of the side and end flaps 1(3 and 17. respectively, as shown in Fig. -.l-. The point of juncture of the edges :28 and 29 is ai iproximately at the outermost rim of the tub. The cover of Fig. 5 may be similarly cut away at 28 and 29, although in this form of device there is overlapping of the parts 22-23 but, as above stated, these portions may be made of a single sheet of material.

I claim as my invention:

1. A protective covering for bath tubs and the like. conmrisin a body portion conforming to the interior of atub, side flap portions on said body portion extending over the Iong'itudinal edges and the sides of the tub, other flap-like portions extending over the outer end walls of the tub, the end flap portions overlying the. vertical edges of the side flaps and having their vertical edges folded inward.

2. A protective covering lor bath tubs and the like. comprising a body portion conformin; to the interior of a tub. side llap portions on said body portion extending over the iongitudinal edges and the sides of the tub, and other flap-like portions extending over the outer end walls ol' the tub, the vertical edges of some of the [lap portions overlying the vertical edges of adjacent flap portions and being folded.

35. A protective covering; for bath tubs and the like. comprising a body portion contornn ing to the interior of a tub, side. flap portions on said body portion extending over the longitudinal edges and the sides of the tub. other flap-like portions extending over the outer end walls of the 'ub. and end flap portions overlying" the vertical edges of the side flaps and having" their vertical edges folded inward at points exterior-1y of the tub and below the rim portion thereof.

5 A bath tub cover comprising a body portion adapted to lit upon the interior bottom portion of a tub. flap portions extending from the longitudinal edges and the ends of such body portion. the said llap portions being secured together at such points adjacent to their contiguous edges as will cause them to form a unitary structure con l'ormingr subst antially to the body portion of the tub, the lines of attachment. of said flap portions to one another, extending for a distance not substantially greater than the height of the tub, but the flaps themselves extending; beyond the upper edge of the tub.

In testimony whereof I. the said homcn'r Fr. HEN 1', have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT E. HENRY. 

